Things You'll Need:
- Boric acid
- Sugar
- Arm & Hammer detergent
- Borax
- Orange oil
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Step 1
Kill the roaches that are already inside your house after first doing what you can to keep them from entering your dwelling in the first place. Caulk around windows and doors and fill cracks. Use door sweeps to seal gaps. Give roaches every incentive not to move in by putting food away after meals, cleaning up dirty dishes and covering open water sources at night. Make sure outside vents are covered by grates.
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Step 2
Use a light dusting of boric acid in areas where you have seen roaches. The application should be so light that neither you nor the roaches can see it readily. As roaches walk through a treated area, the substance sticks to their legs and antennae. They ingest it as they try to remove the powder. Boric acid can be purchased in grocery stores and hardware stores. The powder comes in a plastic bottle with a pointed tip that can be trimmed off with a pair of scissors. Apply the powder by squeezing the bottle.
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Step 3
Concoct a bait that is deadly to roaches, but not toxic to humans. One such bait is made from Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent and sugar. Use milk bottle lids as bait trays. Mix one part detergent with one part granulated sugar, and add a small amount of boric acid. Fill the bottle lids with the mixture, and place them in areas where roaches are likely to congregate, such as under sinks and behind the stove and refrigerator. You can also use equal parts of Borax and sugar to make the bait. The sugar entices the roaches, and the soap wreaks havoc with their digestive systems. You should begin to see fewer and fewer roaches within a week or two.
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Step 4
Use a spray made from orange oil and water. Orange oil can be purchased at garden stores that carry natural products. Mix about 1 to 2 oz. with a gallon of water. Orange oil is deadly to many pests of the bug variety, but safe to use in the home.
